Animal trap



July 7, 1925. I 1,545,018

5. A. SMITH ANIMAL TRAP Filed March 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l W9 jamdJ/m'z/ Jul 17, 192s. 1545.018

5. A. SMITH ANIMAL TRAP medar h 1, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 Qwumtoa Patented July 7, 1925. l i

PATE TS{omen TAKIMA IQ TRLP i Application filed narcii 1," 1924. serial m ma,

To all whom itlmag am.-

'- o- 'Be it known that I, SARAH'QAL'IOE SMITH,

a citizen ofthe' Unitedstates residing at X New -Orleans, in the parish of {Orleans and V State of-Louisiana; have inventednew and useful Improvements in Animal Traps; -of

'which'the following is aspecification;

The invention relates to improvements 1 in duplex *er "two-in one animal traps. The Y i-object ofthe present invention is toimprovev the constructionof animal traps andto provide' asimple, practical and'eflicient animal trap of strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive constructionequipped with inner and" outer jaws, adapted to engage the foot and leg of an animal and capable of simultaneousand independentoperation so that both of the'jaws may be operated when the trap is-in normal condition and'ei'ther'of the jawsmay' be operated should the actuating of the spring of the other, become broken. 1 "Itis also a'n'object of the invention to provide a double jaw trap of this Character equipped with means for enabling both pairs I g of jaws to be simultaneously se'ta'nd'fmaintained in-'such" set conditionflby asingle trigger-mechanism. 1' j With these" andother objects in'vie'w the "invention consists in the f construction and 'novel combination and arrangement ofparts 7' hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out'in -the claims hereto appended, it being understood'that'various changes in the form, pror portion and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims,- may be resortedto without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesfotthe invention. 1 f In the'drawings, in v "of reference 'deslgnate icorresponding'parts in the several views: v f

' *Figurel is a plan' view o'fa. trap constructed in accordance with this invention andshown set;

v Figure 2 is alsimilar view-partly in section' illustrating the arrangement of the "parts; preparatory to simultaneously setting.

theouter swinging arm.

"setting andtrappingmechanismi which" like characters Figure his "a similar'view 'of 'the' inner swingingjarml I I F gure 5'1s'a detailed sectional view ofthe In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the 'preferred embodiment of the invention,"'the' animal trap which may be made of'any desired size comprises in its construction a base'l, provided with spaced 6o upwardly projecting lugs '2 having "openings to receive a'horizontal pivotrod 3, on

which 'is"mounted inner and outer swing- "ings "arms 4 and 5 and springs 6 and 7 for actuating the swinging arms 4 and 5 to close inner and outer pairs of jaws 8 and9. The

""jjaws are hinged'or pivoted at their ends. at "10 and 11 inlugs 12 and13 of theb'ase,- their pivots being preferably formed by .terminals of the jaws and arranged at right angles to the pivot rod 3." The inner jaws v are of lessvsize than the outer'j'aws and are designed forenga ging the footof an animal "and theyextendthrough an opening 14 of the inner swinging arm 41and are adapted to be' engaged by the said arm. Theswinging arm tisc'omposedof spaced'sides and connecting cross pieces asshow'n'and it may be readily; stamped from a singlepiece of 'metal. The inner swinging arm *may how- ,ever be constructed in any other desired manner, as will be readily]understoodand the spring 6,,' which' is centrally arrangedon 'the rod 3, has one of its't erminals fengaged with the'inner swinging arm preferably at 86 the inner side of the'opening l4; a

The outer swingingarm is composed of 1 spaced sides and a connecting outer cross 'piece '15, preferably,,'inthefform ofa plate andadaptedto he readily depressed by, the '90 ;foot or hand for simultaneously setting both theinner and outer pairs of j aws. The springs 7 which are located at the end portionsof the pivot rod '3 have terminals engaged with thesides of the outer arm prefferablyby being hooked underjthe same, but they may be connected with the outer arm in any other desired "manner. (In, order to enablefthe twogfjaws to be [simultaneously set by depressing the outerfswinging-arm,

the latter is' 'p rovided atbppositesid'es with enable the rod to seat in the notch and the" pressure of the rod against the inner arm will prevent any accidental slipping of the rod from the notch during the setting operation. The rod 18 when in engagementwith the; notch 20 extends across the inner arm and is adapted to carrytheinner arm downwardly with the Outer arm when the latter isdepressed for setting the trap. j

. To set the trap the rod 18 isengagedwith the notch QOandthe outer swinging arm is depressed to place the springs under {tension and to permit the innerandouter jaws to be engaged with the setting and trapping mechanism which consists of a setting. lever 22 hinged toa lug 23 at oneend and adapted to have its other end engaged with a notch 24 of a trigger 25, having a treadle plate 2610f the ordinary construction. One of the jaws of eachset is; engaged beneath the setting lever and is maintained in set position by the setting mechanism. When the trap is set, the side springs 7' exert their pressure only on the heavier outer jaws while the central spring maintains its pressure solely on the inner smaller jaws and the trigger mechanism is subjected to the j pressure ot the springs. of both the inner and outer jaws, and when the treadle plate is depressed by an animal, the inner jaws will catch the foot of the animal and the outer jaws will engage the leg of the animal. Should the spring of the inner j-aw become broken, the outer jaws may be set and should the springs of the outer jaws become broken, the inner jaws may be set and it will be aprcparent that the trigger mechanismwill permit simultaneous: and independent operation of the jaws in this manner.

v lVhatis claimed is: I

1- An animal trap co'mprisinga base, inner'and outer jawsarranged in pairs, inner and outer spring actuated arms arranged to engage: the jaws for closing the same and means for detachably connecting the arms for permitting simultaneous setting of the trap a I 2. An animal trap comprising a base, inner and outer jaws arranged in pairs, inner and outer spring actuated arms arranged to engage the aws for closing the same, means for detachably connecting the arms for per mitting simultaneous sett ng of the trap, said means comprising a lockmgdevice car.-

ing device bridging the: arms for permitting ried by one arm and arranged to engage the other.

3. An animal trap comprising a base, inner and outer jaws arranged in pairs, inner and outer spring actuated arms arranged to engage the jaws for closing the same and means for I detachably connecting the arms for permitting simultaneous setting of the trap, said means comprising a rod hinged to the outer arm and arranged to extend into the path of and engage the inner arm.

4. An animal trap comprising a base, inner and outer jawsarranged in pairs, inner and outer spring actuated arms arranged to engage the jaws for closing thev same and means fordetachably connecting the arms for permitting- .simultaneous' setting of the trap, said meanscon prisingi a rod hinged at one end to the outer arm at one side thereofsetting mechanism being adapted to permit an operation of both or either-pair of; jaws- 6. An animal trapcoinprising a base, inner andouter jaws arranged impairs, spring actuated arms arranged one Within the other and adapted to closefthe jaws, aiid-a locksimultaneous setting of the trap-.- V

7 An animal trap comprising abase, innerand outer jaws arrangedin pairs, spring actuated arms a'rrangedone within the other and adapted to close the jaws, the base hav ing a lug at one end, a lever swingingly con- 11 nected to said lug and arrangedto extend across onejaw of each pair,.and a trigger for holding said lever toperm t; operation of both or either set of jaws.

8. An animal trap coinprisinga baseginner and outer jaws arranged in pairs, the basebeing. provided with spaced jlugs, a rod mounted in said lugs, inner and outer arms swingingly mounted on said rod, springs on said rodengaging said armsto actuate the arms for closing the jaws, and a device detachably connecting the arms for permitting simultaneous setting of the trap.

9. An animal trap comprising a base, inner and outer jaws arranged in pairs, a rod mounted on the basewithin the area of the inner jaws when the latter are open, spring actuated arms swingingly mounted on said rod and arranged we gagenm jaws for closing the same, and 11mins. for detachably connecting the arms for permitting simulrod and arranged to engage the jaws for taneous setting of the trap. closing the same, a lever arranged to extend 10. An animal trap comprising a base, inacross and engage one of the jaws of each 10 ner and outer jaws arranged in pairs, a rod pair, and a device for holding said lever. 5 mounted on the base within the area of the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set inner jaws when the latter are open, spring my hand. actuated arms swingingly mounted on said SARAH ALICE SMITH. 

